This is what a Global Leadership MBA can do for your career

Pursuing an MBA doesn’t have to come at the expense of one’s personal life, as graduates of The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management’s critically acclaimed Global Leadership MBA (GLEMBA) know first-hand.

The 21-month program is designed for ambitious professionals looking to reach new heights in their careers while developing a broader perspective on international business. It is delivered 100% online, making it convenient for busy individuals to upskill despite existing commitments.

Its stellar reputation is cemented by its accolades: it was awarded Best Global Online Executive MBA Program in Texas by CEO Magazine in 2018 and 2020, ranked 12 among US programs and 23 worldwide in the QS Online MBA Rankings 2022 and 36 in Fortune’s Best Online MBA Programs in 2021.

The benefits of a GLEMBA are well-documented and can lead to countless career opportunities, as three graduates can attest to:

Climb up the corporate ladder

Many pursue an MBA to enhance their careers and expand their knowledge and leadership skills. The situation was no different for Jeremy Klos-Mayhall, a Legal Operations Associate at Goldman Sachs, who knew that he would need to bolster his knowledge to compete for the positions he was interested in.

“I already possessed a strong legal background before entering the GLEMBA program, but I was looking to transition my legal knowledge into the business world,” said the American. “I was only interested in a curriculum that was fresh and true to what occurs in today’s workplace.”

The program afforded him the flexibility to tailor the content to his needs and interests — in this case, in project management courses.

Shortly before graduating, he had the opportunity to manage a team at one company. “I was essentially promoted, given a significant pay raise, and put into a much better position to meet my career goals,” he said.

He also gained various soft and hard skills, from mental toughness to software mastery in Tableau.

“Earning my MBA has unlocked doors previously unavailable to me in the corporate world,” he said. “If the jump from my last position to the next is any indication, the ROI is through the roof!”

Ultimately, the GLEMBA program ticked many boxes for him.

“In my opinion, the GLEMBA program has to be considered one of the best bang-for-buck programs available. There are multiple potential focus areas within the program, such as project management, data visualization, and so on,” he said.

“These focus areas fit just about anyone’s need in an MBA program. GLEMBA is also online, which makes attending class, lectures, submitting assignments and other miscellaneous tasks simple and flexible for students. Lastly, you would meet and connect with several different folks across various industries.”

Boost your earnings

Austin Cline works at AustinCSI, a management consulting firm focused on digital transformation in Plano, a city in Texas. The technological boom sparked his interest in pursuing a bachelor’s in management information systems (MIS) from UT Dallas.

“When I got into the corporate world, I discovered my passion for being a consultant. I joined the GLEMBA program to acquire my MBA and learn more about business,” he said.

“The GLEMBA program helped me be exposed to cultural differences and learn how to adapt my meeting professionalism. The project management certificate and focus in my MBA helped me launch my consulting career on the delivery team within my current employer.”

It wasn’t just the classroom experience that nailed it for Cline — UT Dallas has over 300 registered student organizations, some of which provide students with an opportunity to tackle business problems and apply lessons from the classroom in the real world.

During his GLEMBA studies, Cline joined the Consulting Leadership Development Society (CLDS) club, which did pro-bono projects for local companies.

“I was able to lead a project competition (Innovation Olympics) representing CLDS with an external company called IXL Center. I met some wonderful professionals and learned a lot with the program,” he said.

Thanks to the flexibility of the course, Cline could juggle his full-time job, school, family life and additional projects on the side.

“The faculty were upfront about the expectations and were willing to help. Looking back, I could juggle it all with a lot of sacrifices, hard work and my natural ability to work fast and efficiently,” he explained.

He described the GLEMBA as “so worth it”. “It has helped me achieve a much higher salary. I received an offer to increase my salary by US$35,000. I thoroughly enjoy my new employer and the culture,” he said.

“My advice to anyone who is interested in the GLEMBA program is to enjoy the journey and try to connect with other professionals and create long-lasting connections. The program is structured well and will help you gain some wonderful skills that apply to the majority of corporate positions for MBA graduates.”

Make a career switch

Making a career change is a big USP for attending business school, something Amanda Leatherman can relate to.

Leatherman, who currently works as an instructional designer, decided to pursue her MBA to broaden her knowledge and to help her transition from education to corporate America. “I had always had a strong interest in global politics, so the GLEMBA program seemed like a good fit for areas I was already interested in,” she said.

She hadn’t considered a business career until she began teaching full-time. “As I began job searching for possible careers, I realized pursuing business would open up many opportunities for me and help fill the gaps I had in technical skills and knowledge,” she said.

For Leatherman, the GLEMBA experience is unparalleled, thanks to a world-class faculty who are seasoned business practitioners with strong academic credentials and global expertise.

Her favorite classes include one with Professor Katz. Despite being a difficult class, she said it was the “tough” part that “really pushed me to stretch my own limits”.

Another course Leatherman enjoyed was Professor Deepak Sachdeva’s project management class. “Professor Sachdeva’s project management class is absolutely one of the best courses I have ever taken,” she added. “The amount of real-world knowledge has served me well as I learn project management in ‘the real world’.”

Many professors were realistic with time requirements and took feedback well when something didn’t work for the majority, she said. “It can be tricky navigating a program of this caliber, but the support was always there from faculty to help us get it done.”

Since graduating, she has progressed from a training role at a financial tech company to an instructional design role. “With the specialty skills I gained in my MBA, I will also be taking on some data analytics and beginning to manage some small projects soon. My role is definitely growing and evolving as I find my niche,” she said.

“Now that I have my MBA, the paths are already there for my career advancement,” she added, adding that her long-term goal would be to make it into senior leadership. “I feel very capable of that now.”

Her advice to others considering the GLEMBA program: “Be open-minded. It is a marathon, not a sprint. No matter your experience level, lean in on the variety of careers and backgrounds you’ll encounter. There’s a lot to learn and a lot to absorb, but also relationships to be made which may be key in getting to the next phase of your career!” she said.

To become part of UT Dallas’ successful network of GLEMBA graduates, click here to apply.